MANILA, Philippines — Resigned Philippine National Police chief Director General Alan Purisima did not lie to President Benigno Aquino III about the status of the operation in Mamasapano, Maguindanao that claimed the lives of 44 elite policemen.
In a statement sent to the media on Wednesday, the former PNP chief’s counsel Kristoffer James Purisima said it was not his client’s character to “relay inaccurate information to the President.”
Purisima is a known close friend of the President. This was, however, marred after some lawmakers disclosed that Aquino told them that he felt he was “being lied to” by Purisima when he informed the President on the covert operation.
“Throughout their decades of professional and personal relationship, PDG Purisima’s deportment towards the President has been one of utmost candor, honesty, loyalty and respect. At no time would PDG Purisima violate the trust reposed upon him by the President,” the lawyer said.
During the Senate hearing, Purisima showed the exchange of text messages between him and the President. The messages revealed that Purisima had told Aquino that the Special Action Force troopers had been “supported by mechanized and artillery support.”
But it proved to be inaccurate because the tanks and artillery fire were not yet deployed at that time.
At the time Purisima informed Aquino about the status of “Operation Exodus” against terrorists Zulkifli Bin Hir or Marwan and his protegé Abdul Basit Usman, the lawyer said PNP officer-in-charge Police Deputy Director General Leonardo Espina, Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff General Greogorio Pio Catapang Jr. and AFP Western Mindanao Command Commander Lieutenant General Rustico Guerrero were already aware that the SAF troopers have been caught in a gunfight with Moro rebels.
“Thus, when PDG Purisima informed the President at 8:17 a.m. on January 25 that the engaged PNP SAF troopers “are supported by mechanized and artillery support”, PDG Purisima relied in good faith on the information given to him at 8:03 a.m. by Lieutenant General Guerrero, which stated that “[m]eron ng coordination sa ground tank infantry and artillery support are made available,” he explained.
But in an earlier Senate hearing, Guerrero said his text message to Purisima was only meant to attest that the ground tank infantry and artillery support are in place. But he said this did not mean that the reinforcement have started firing.
“To PDG Purisima, Lieutenant General Guerrero’s reference to “[m]eron ng coordination sa ground” implies more than just the availability of support; it refers to the coordinated efforts to use tank, infantry and artillery assets in support of our PNP SAF troopers. PDG Purisima had no reason to believe or interpret otherwise, since the request for reinforcement for our PNP SAF troopers has already been relayed by PDG Purisima to Lieutenant General Guerrero by telephone conversation as early as 6:09 a.m.,” he added.
During the Mamasapano operation on January 25, Purisima was in his house in San Leonardo, Nueva Ecija.
“As he was in San Leonardo, Nueva Ecija, on January 25, PDG Purisima could not have known that Major General Edmundo Pangilinan, Philippine Army 6th Infantry Division Commanding General, had declined the PNP SAF’s request for even an indirect artillery fire,” the lawyer explained.
Since he was under preventive suspension, the lawyer also reiterated that Purisima was not part of the PNP command line.
Thus, the responsibility of informing Aquino “fell on those who were with the President on January 25 to brief the Chief Executive and provide vital information as they had direct contact with the ground commanders.”
He added that Purisima, as a police officer, believes that it is “morally incumbent upon him as a police officer and as a responsible citizen of the Republic to come to the aid of his fellow PNP SAF troopers in their time of need” despite his suspension.
“PDG Purisima believes that it is his moral duty and obligation to extend to the PNP SAF whatever assistance he can provide,” he said.
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